End Of The Line
by DocBevCulver
Summary: OneShot. The final battle is over and all that is left is ash and a small round stone. This was my response to the theme of broken for week 44 at iyficunderscorecontest at livejournal.


**Title:** End of the Line

**Character/s:** All (most only mentioned)

**Rating:** PG-13 / T (just to be safe)

**Spoilers:** None

_**Warnings:**_ Character/s death (implied) and a mention of blood.

**Disclaimer:** InuYasha and characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I only claim my husband and kids.

**Summary:** The final battle has been fought and all that is left is the pieces and a small round stone.

**Notes:** My second attempt and it is kinda dark - in the fact that there is implied character/s death (nothing graphic). Just popped into my head and I had to get it out. It has not been beta read (don't have one). So, any helpful hints or suggestions are appreciated! _Has been edited with helpful hints from leian at livejournal._

**Word Count: **800

**ooOOooOOooOOooOOoo**

As the sun rose on that early morning, the villagers of Edo began their daily routines. While some prepared breakfast, others began their work in the fields or gathered herbs. None knew of the devastation that lay just beyond the hills to the West of their small humble village, but their miko, Kaede, felt a disturbance and grew worried. 

**ooOOooOOooOOooOOoo**

The crater, at least fifty feet deep and one hundred feet wide, encompassed most of the field that the final battle for the Shikon no Tama had been waged upon. In the center, broken in half and covered in ash, lay a long bow. Dozens of arrows, most nothing more then charred remains, lay scattered all around. Not far, but slightly forward of the bow, rested the tattered handle of a sword, broken from the blade and covered in dust, ash, and blood. Just to the left of the handle and bow, buried half in the ground, was part of a large bone boomerang – which glistened with dark black blood that reflected the suns rays, as it continued its journey high in the sky. Beside it, a monk's staff jabbed into the soft soil and prayer beads scattered all along the ground, from the broken string that they once resided on.

Just on the edge of the crater another long bow set upon a pile of clay of soil that began to blow about as a light wind blew through the valley. To the right, a bone sickle upon a chain laid spread as if it had been dropped during mid-throw.

The wind picked up and in the center of the crater the ash and soil began to shift and a small dark bauble with tiny swirls of pink appeared. A slender pale hand, which bore two maroon strips at the wrist, reached for the small object and retrieved it from ground.

Sesshoumaru lifted it by his thumb and forefinger to eye level to inspect the large marble shaped stone. "It would seem that this Sesshoumaru has been denied his right to kill the hanyous Naraku and InuYasha."

"Milord?" Jaken asked as he came to stand at Sesshoumaru's right - who sniffed the air.

"It appears that Naraku fought InuYasha and his group here." He sniffed again. "I also detect the scent of a wolf youkai. By the appearance of this area and smell it would seem they have all been destroyed. Naraku, InuYasha, his group of humans and demons, the un-dead miko, the demon slayer child that was once Naraku's puppet, and the wolf youkai, Kouga. All of them."

"Indeed, milord! Then their battle must have been the source of the bright light we witnessed from this area." Jaken spoke as he poked his staff of heads at the large pile of ash.

Sesshoumaru nodded as his golden eyes trained once more upon the marble held between his thumb and forefinger, his white and red trimmed garments fluttered in the breeze. "Indeed."

Jaken squawked as he noticed the bauble held in his master's hand. "The Shikon no Tama!"

"Yes. It survived the battle, it would seem." He gazed over the crater again. When his eyes came upon the tattered handle he recognized as once belonging to Tesseiga, he sighed inward at the loss of his Father's great sword. He then looked to the Shikon in his hand. "They all fought and died over such a small trinket that should have been destroyed long ago."

He turned to the sound of his beast of burden, Ah-Un, as he touched down just on the edge of the meadow, upon its back rested his ward Rin. "Come, Jaken. I wish to leave before Rin awakens." He spoke as he turned. "It would seem that the chaos that was created by this stone and Naraku is now no more. As well the stain upon my clan's blood has been removed with the death of InuYasha."

"Yes, indeed. It is truly a shame that you were denied the satisfaction of being the one to deal the death blow, milord." Jaken spoke, as they made their way to Rin and Ah-Un.

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru palmed the Shikon and with no emotion shown on his face, he squeezed the stone with all the anger and frustration of being denied his chance to eliminate both hanyous. After a few moments, he opened his hand and allowed the dust that was once the Shikon to float upon the wind. _'I simply have no need for such a trinket and I would rather remove it before another hanyou or lesser youkai would obtain it and use such power again.' _He sighed inwardly, as he took Ah-Un's reins and guided the beast from the destroyed meadow._ 'It truly is a shame that Father's sword, Tesseiga, had to go with you, little brother.'_

03/16/06


End file.
